The recent introduction of all-digital cinematic display systems has presented a variety of challenges. One such challenge is the replacement of traditional film projectors with the new digital projectors while minimizing the costs involved in the change from traditional film projectors to digital projectors. To minimize initial costs, it is important for the digital projector to be able to use an existing projection booth. Additionally, modern digital projectors must make use of as much of the same equipment currently found in most cinema projection booths as possible. Among the equipment shared by both the film-based and all digital projectors is the lamp console.
Although the digital projectors are able to utilize traditional lamp consoles, the digital projectors typically require a unique reflector. The f-number of the reflectors used by the digital projectors is lower, for example f/1.5, than used by the film projectors. Additionally, the reflector is deeper. The arc lamp is also positioned closer to the back of the reflector in digital projectors than in film-based projectors. Positioning the arc lamp closer to the back of the reflector heats the inside of the back of the reflector much more than the shallower reflectors of traditional film projectors.
The new reflector design has been difficult to cool sufficiently. Without proper cooling of the back of the reflector, the reflector degrades over time and must be replaced, often after only a few months. What is needed is a method and system to properly cool the lamp and reflector in order to extend the useful life of the lamp and reflector in the digital cinema projectors.